Paraffinic products resulting from gas-to-liquids processes can be used as feeds in the formation of various further products, such as diesel fuels and jet fuels. Paraffinic products resulting from gas-to-liquids processes often have relatively high average carbon chain lengths, such as greater than 20, and, as such, are generally solid at ambient temperature, in some cases being wax-like at ambient temperature. As such, further processing of gas-to-liquids products is typically required so as to provide further products having sufficiently reduced average carbon chain lengths. Typically, gas-to-liquids products are shipped from the gas-to-liquids processing facility where they are formed, to a separate facility where they can be subjected to further processing, such as hydrogenation or hydrocracking Prior to further processing, such as hydrocracking, the gas-to-liquids products typically must be heated to convert them to or maintain them in a liquid state. Such heating is done, in some cases, while the gas-to-liquids product is shipped to the separate facility, and/or after the gas-to-liquids product arrives at the separate facility. Maintaining or converting the gas-to-liquids product in a liquid state is typically required before it is subjected to further processing, such as hydrocracking. Transporting, heating, and/or re-heating the gas-to-liquids product can negatively impact the economic costs associated with final paraffinic product, especially if the transport is delayed or is over a substantial distance.
It would be desirable to develop new methods of forming paraffinic products having reduced average carbon chain lengths that can be used as diesel fuels or jet fuels, from gas-to-liquids products that do not require transporting the gas-to-liquids product to a separate facility. It would be further desirable that such newly developed methods not require heating or re-heating the gas-to-liquids product prior to further processing.